


The Boy

by Seagoatink



Series: Navigator of Dangers [3]
Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age: Inquisition
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-13
Updated: 2016-04-13
Packaged: 2018-06-01 23:29:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,058
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6541156
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Seagoatink/pseuds/Seagoatink
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The boy turned, seemingly finished with his work, to see both Scout Harding and the Lady Herald watching him. “I thought they could use some extra salve,” he explained, without really explaining anything at all. If anything, the Inquisitor was left with another unanswered mystery, but one she might never solve.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Boy

Crestwood was dreary and bleary and smelled like carcasses.

Scout Harding greeted Adaar, informing her of all the happenings including darkspawn and Wardens and left her with the mystery of how to drain an entire lake. Harding was a sweet woman, loyal, helpful, and concerned with happenings. Perfect for a scout and definitely up and coming. A true natural. The Inquisitor was almost jealous. Almost.

Then the dwarven woman noticed Cole, probably talking to one of the other soldiers at the outpost, and frowned. “What is he doing?” She asked in a hushed tone. 

“I’m not too sure myself,” said the Inquisitor as she turned to see Cole rummaging through someone’s personal pack.

The boy turned, seemingly finished with his work, to see both Scout Harding and the Lady Herald watching him. “I thought they could use some extra salve,” he explained, without really explaining anything at all. If anything, the Inquisitor was left with another unanswered mystery, but one she might never solve.

Still, she turned to Scout Harding. “Thanks for the information, we’ll head over to Crestwood. If we’re lucky we can find out how to drain the lake.”

The trek to Crestwood started off as awkward and quiet. Cassandra eyed Cole and Dorian every now and again. Cole would pretend not to notice, but Dorian was watching the Seeker just as much as she was watching him. “Mercy, Seeker, I know I am a work of art, but you cannot touch me!” He quipped, acting as though she had actually tried to make a grab for him.

“I didn’t even go near you,” Cassandra sternly replied, not even batting an eyelash at his attempt to sass her. “I wouldn’t want to either.”

“Because I’m a mage?”

“No.” She evaluated him from head to toe. “You are not my type.”

This piqued Dorian’s attention. “Oh?”

Cassandra scoffed at his attempt to draw information from her. “Yes, I have a type. Believe it or not, I don’t have eyes for just anyone,” she said rolling her eyes when he pouted. “Careful, if you leave your lip out like that, a bird might come by and shit on it.”

Ahead of them Kaaras stifled her giggling. It was tempting to turn in hopes of seeing Dorian’s hurt expression, but she could hear fighting further down the road. “Darkspawn,” she said, alerting her small team.

“Wardens too by the looks of it,” Dorian added. He readied his staff, creeping close enough to set one of them ablaze. 

Adaar was quick to realize that fighting darkspawn was only easy in theory. The corpses spirits possessed were rotting, decomposing, and all around nasty. They smelled atrocious, and even more so when on fire thanks to Dorian’s magic. Had she ever been given the opportunity, she was sure she would have turned down the option to become a Warden. The stench was probably something most were accustomed to, but in truth, it probably always smelled at least a little bit. 

When it came to actually fighting the darkspawn and possessed bodies, Cassandra and Blackwall were most helpful. Bull was too, but he was better at killing creatures, like wolves or dragons. It was no surprise when Cassandra gave the final blow.

The wardens that had been fighting the darkspawn thanked the group. “We were looking for a man named Stroud,” one said, assuming the Inquisitor of all people might help them.

Thanks to Varric’s friend, Hawke, Kaaras knew exactly to whom they were referring. “I’m trying to clear up the rifts,” she said, “I doubt I’d find him sooner than you, but I’ll be on the lookout for him.” As much as she wanted to help, she knew it was best to keep her head down, even if she was the Herald of Andraste. As she walked further down the road, she heard one mutter about rumors of the Herald helping almost anyone and calling bullshit to those tales.

Her mind went to Blackwall. Had he been given orders not to bother with darkspawn and go on a manhunt, Kaaras doubted he would do just that. Perhaps that’s why she trusted him with knowledge of her brother. Like Varric and Sera, he was a people person. A helper. True to his word, and always there working to the best of his ability.

“They bothered you,” Cole pointed out.

The qunari stopped and turned to face the spirit. “Yes, they did,” she answered bluntly. “But I also know more about their target than they do. So, I should be a little more forgiving,” she stated as she buried her fingernails into the palms of her hands. “We are here to get information and help; they are on a manhunt. The circumstances are much different.”

Cole stepped forward, causing Cassandra and Dorian to ready themselves, but he didn’t take notice. If he did, he didn’t let it phase him. “It still bothers you,” he said.

“It’s a matter I will meditate on it later, Cole,” the Inquisitor replied, eyeing her other two companions. They relaxed, but only slightly. “There are more important things to take care of.”

Killing the darkspawn at the gates of Crestwood was hardly easier than killing darkspawn at the fork in the road by the wardens. But a little extra rage was always good for battle. Heavier blows made sure to down foes faster as well, Kaaras had learned during her time with Valo-Kas.

As Leliana had informed her, Crestwood was important for trade in goods and spy intel. The more people the Inquisitor could keep alive for one more day, the better. Not that she would have let the guards die fighting the darkspawn on their own. It was simply said to ensure Kaaras would be extra careful.

Crestwood’s mayor was an old, crusty looking man. Balding and in old age, but in good health. He reluctantly explained how to empty the lake that covered Old Crestwood. His hesitation was worrying, but not a priority, so Adaar simply left him be. “He was hiding something,” Dorian said just outside of town.

Cole began muttering words as he did. A few caught Adaar’s attention, again she found herself tucking the information away in the back of her head. The fewer distractions the better. It was easiest to tackle one objective at a time and kill some shit along the way.


End file.
